Final answer:
The primary connection between canals, rivers, and industry lies in transportation and commerce; canals facilitated the cost-effective movement of goods, stimulated settlements, and urban growth, and were key to trades like the Erie Canal in the U.S. Rivers naturally supported these processes by providing navigable routes that prompted the establishment of cities at strategic points for trade.
Step-by-step explanation:
The connection between canals and rivers and industry is deeply rooted in the history of industrialization and commerce. Canals, which are man-made waterways, connect unlinked bodies of water and facilitate the transport of goods and resources across significant distances efficiently and cost-effectively. For instance, the Erie Canal in the United States connected the Great Lakes to the Atlantic seaboard, vastly improving the transportation of agricultural goods and promoting the settlement and economic expansion of the Western United States, particularly in the pre-railroad era.
Moreover, canals also contributed to the spread of non-native species, acting as corridors and vectors for biological invasions that often followed the paths of human trade and migration. As for reasonably modern usage, the Grand Canal, for example, continues to be a vital transportation route due to its ability to move large volumes of cargo that might not be as economical to transport via air, rail, or highway. Additionally, in places like Great Britain, the presence of numerous natural ports and rivers facilitated the construction of canals, promoting the nation’s internal and international trade.
It is also to note that rivers provide not just water for human consumption and agricultural purposes, but also serve as pathways for urban growth. Cities often sprouted at the mouths of navigable rivers or break-of-bulk points, emphasizing the rivers’ central role in commerce.